MIXED MARTIAL ARTS VETERAN WATCH: FEBRUARY 2019

11 jul MIXED MARTIAL ARTS VETERAN WATCH: FEBRUARY 2019

When fighters are given their discharge from a significant North American MMA advertising like the UFC or even Bellator — unless they are a major star — they often fall into obscurity on the regional/overseas circuit unless they stand up a few wins and wind up signing with one of those above promotions. In this regular feature for MMAOddsBreaker.com, I take a peek at a few regional/overseas MMA matchups for the month of February and rather than list off the top fights outside these major organizations, I highlight some familiar names that you might recognize on upcoming fight cards.
LFA 59 — Feb. 1 (Phoenix, Arizona)
David Michaud (14-4) vs. Christian Aguilera (11-5)
Former UFC lightweight Michaud seems to make it four straight wins when he faces Aguilera. Since he had been released from the UFC at 2015, Michaud has gone 6-2 such as a TKO win over Fernando Gonzalez Trevino in October. Aguilera meanwhile had his three-fight win streak snapped in his final bout as he lost a decision to Matthew Frincu in LFA 44. Aguilera will look to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time because Mar. 2016. Editor’s note: Michaud defeated Aguilera via TKO at 4:14 of the first round.
TKO 46 — Feb. 8 (Quebec City, QC) — Matchup Moved To April
Jesse Ronson (20-8) vs. Charles Jourdain (8-1)
UFC veteran Ronson defends his lightweight title against current featherweight champion Jourdain. Ronson almost needed a second stint at the UFC back in December because he took a brief notice struggle against Diego Ferreira. No matter how the comission stated he would be cutting too much weight along with also his UFC contract was recinded. The 33-year-old has won five-straight struggles. Jourdain meanwhile won the featherweight title defeating Alex Morgan by first-round submission at TKO 45 in December. He’s won three-straight fights.
Cagesport 55 — Feb. 9 (Tacoma, Washington)
Anthony Hamilton (17-9) vs. Jared Torgeson (18-19) — Heavyweight title Former UFC heavyweight Hamilton aims to ensure it is three-straight wins when he faces Torgeson. The 38-year-old is coming off a unanimous decision win over Dylan Potter at Dominate FC 2 in September. Torgeson meanwhile has lost five of the last six fights. Editor’s note: Hamilton defeated Torgeson via three-round unanimous choice.
ACA 92: Poland — Feb. 15 (Warsaw, Poland)
Marcin Held (25-7) vs. Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov (15-2)
UFC veteran Held faces Abdulvakhabov at a lightweight bout. Held left the UFC after beating Nasrat Haqparast in UFC Fight Night 118 and has won back-to-back conflicts. Abdulvakhabov meanwhile is coming from a majority decision loss to Ali Bagov in ACB 89 at Aug, which snapped his 14-fight win series.
Daniel Omiela??czuk (20-9-1) vs. Zelimkhan Umiev (11-2)
Former UFC light heavyweight Omielanczuk seems to prevent back-to-back losses when he faces Umiev. Omielanczuk dropped three straight fights in the UFC into Stefan Struve, Tim Johnson and Curtis Blaydes until he was released in late 2017. Umiev meanwhile had his own six-fight win streak snapped as he was finished in the first round by Evgeny Goncharov at WFCA 50 in August.
Luke Barnatt (14-6) vs. Jorge Gonzales (14-3)
UFC veteran Barnatt maintains in his third consecutive fight in the light heavyweight division when he faces Gonzalez. The 30-year-old is coming from a majority decision loss to Karol Celi??ski in ACB 88 which dropped him to 2-2 in his last four fights. Gonzalez meanwhile heads into this battle on a five-fight win streak.
Efrain Escudero (30-14) vs. Amirkhan Adaev (14-4)
TUF 8 champion Escudero looks to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since Apr. 2016 when he faces Adev. Escudaro last competed on the Golden Boy MMA card where he lost a decision to fellow UFC veteran Gleison Tibau. Adaev meanwhile has won three-straight and five of the past six overall heading into this fight.
Invicta FC 34 — Feb. 15 (Kansas City, Kansas)
Pearl Gonzalez (9-3) vs. Vanessa Porto (20-8) — Flyweight Title
Former UFC strawweight Gonzalez confronts Porto for the flyweight title in the primary event of Invicta FC 34. The 32-year-old has stayed undefeated because she was released from the UFC in late 2017, going 3-0 with Invicta. Porto has won back-to-back conflicts however hasn’t fought since Jan. 2018.
Milana Dudieva (12-7) vs. Karina Rodriguez (6-3)
UFC veteran Dudieva looks to make it two-straight wins for the first time since Aug. 2014 when she faces short-notice replacement Rodriguez. Dudieva is coming from a TKO win over TUF 26’s Christina Marks at Invicta FC 28 which snapped her four-fight losing streak. Rodriguez meanwhile replaces Brogan Walker-Sanchez and looks to rebound from her split decision loss to DeAnna Bennett in Invicta FC 28
DeAnna Bennett (9-4-1) vs. Miranda Maverick (4-1)
TUF 26’s Bennett seems to get back on the winning track against Maverick at a flyweight bout. The 34-year-old is coming off a loss to Women’s MMA pioneer Kelly Kobold at Tuff-N-Uff in September. Maverick meanwhile has won four of her last five fights with her lone setback coming from Brogan Walker-Sanchez at Invicta FC 30 where she suffered a split decision loss.
War at the Rock — Feb 16 (Hollywood, Florida)
Michel Quinones (8-3) vs. Yosdenis Cedeno (11-6-1)
A set of UFC veterans struggle at a featherweight bout as Quinones faces Cedeno. Quinones went 0-2 at the UFC with reductions to Jared Gordon and Sage Northcutt. The 34-year-old fights for the very first since Nov. 2017. Cedeno meanwhile looks for two-straight wins for the first time since Oct. 2013 and is coming off a unanimous decision win over Pedro Gomes in Underground Cage Fighting Championship 1 in July.
Can there be a noteworthy MMA veteran rival this month that I missed? Or is there a matchup that has been altered? Hit me up on Twitter @LynchOnSports, and I will add it in or fix it up. Thanks.
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